Crisis cash in cash crisis
19/07/2011
The Labor cabinet should urgently re-evaluate its decision to slash 44 jobs from Families SA and replace them with 3.5 jobs in the non-government sector, says Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent.
The budget measure, estimated to save the Government $11 million, affects the Families SA Anti-Poverty Unit which supports some of the state’s most vulnerable people. The Government has cut 44 jobs from the unit and is instead funding 3.5 jobs in the non-government sector to provide the same services.
“This situation means desperate South Australians facing empty fridges and electricity cut-offs have nowhere to turn for help,” said Ms Vincent.
Any South Australian could previously contact the Anti-Poverty Unit to access urgent financial advice and emergency payouts.
Under the new funding system the Anti-Poverty Unit will continue providing financial counselling and assistance to existing Families SA clients. However, non-clients will now be required to use the services provided by the non-government sector.
The Minister for Disability, Jennifer Rankine, has argued that financial counselling and assistance was only an occasional responsibility of the 44 staff cut from Families SA, and therefore the finance-relevant workload should easily be covered by the 3.5 non-government staff.
“If Ms Rankine’s statements are true, then we must wonder who will be taking on responsibility for the rest of the work done by those 44 Anti-Poverty Unit workers,” said Ms Vincent.
“The only conclusion we can draw from this budget cut is that vulnerable South Australians will be missing out. When 44 jobs are traded for 3.5, there is an inevitable loss of services and the South Australian public will suffer for that.
“I join SACOSS and the rest of the non-government sector in calling for the Government to scrap this shoddy piece of policy.”
